I made this glorious hamburger soup one Sunday in winter for three very important reasons: One, it was so ding dang cold outside, all I could think about was soup. Two, church was canceled (Church? Canceled? I don't understand.) and I didn't have anything else to do. Three, I was hungry, man.
I love hamburger soup so much because it's meaty and hearty and flavorful and satisfying. Mmmmmm! It just feels good to eat it, and as a bonus, it always reminds me of my grandmother Ga-Ga.
And that always means it's going to be delicious.

Beef Shank and Sausage _Ragù_ with Whole Grain Spaghetti* As much as we love eating at old-school red-sauce joints, we're craving the updated regional Italian cuisine were seeing at restaurants across the country. In this dish, instead of marinara, we've got a rich, meaty _ragù_ (a staple in Bologna) made with flavorful bone-in beef shanks and hot Italian sausage. Hearty whole grain pasta is the perfect vehicle for the sauce (and it's a great way to add nutritional value). The long-cooked sauce is the ideal thing to make on a lazy weekend and fills the house with delicious aromas.

The curries that are sold in the markets of southern Thailand inspired this heavily spiced dish. Chef Boetz says this delicious main course is a hybrid of an Indian and a Thai curry. The use of dried spices (coriander, cardamom, cumin) is common in Indian curries; coconut milk and fresh, aromatic ingredients (cilantro, lemongrass, galangal) are often used in Thai curries.

Talk about comfort food. This traditional stew combines all manner of meat with two different kinds of tubers. Sour orange lends a uniquely Caribbean flair. We like to brighten our sancocho by pairing it with avocado, rice, and cilantro, and to inject a little heat with a splash of hot sauce. We would not turn down an accompanying plate of [crunchy tostones](/recipes/recipe_views/views/239951) (twice-fried green plantains).

The veal shanks are extremely tender and have lots of great-tasting sauce. Serve them with the [butternut polenta](/recipes/food/views/102375) and steamed rapini (also called broccoli rabe), and offer Pinot Noir with dinner.